NMSU Library Strategic Plan Working Documents

Library Future Conference--March 28-29, 1996
Outcomes of Breakout Sessions

Group Members:
Charles Townley, Dean of the Library; Carol Boyse, Library, Systems; Adrian Alexander, Vendor, SWETS; Cesar Caballero, University of Texas at El Paso; Ron Jordan, Assistant Vice President of University Advancement; Jim Peach, Faculty, Economics; Wylene Saunders, Library, General Cataloging; Patsy Hernandez, Library, Periodicals; Ed Mayfield, Library, Codes & Standards; Jack Cairns, Owner, SharkByte; Sandra Caldwell, Student, LSC 311; Eugenia Conway, Center for Educational Development; Mark Lescher, Computing Research Laboratory; Anne Morgan, Library, Head of Technical Services

1. What will our information needs be in the future?

training to "fish" (i.e. learn to fish), to ask, and to surf


timely access to everything, the sooner the better




critical evaluation and information by software and/or people, a synthesis




reasonable cost




accessibility and training, knowing how to find information




knowledge navigator, finding what you need, quality information, so much information we can't find it




cost/time issues, watch dog rules, "totally different five years from now"




organization of global databases, access to everything, the sooner the better




specialization in collections, integrate and synthesize information for knowledge

2. What values do vendors, users, library employees, and university administration hold that will impact the ability to deliver or meet information needs in the future?

balance in the organization and human interface




knowledge is power, access to it is power and access to the widest possible audience




no censorship




cost conflict, tug of war between vendors and users




mutual integrity and respect




definition of scholarship, scholarship redefined by administrators, a frivolous tradition versus real need




missions of the university and library should be in sync




technical standards




open and free information available to everyone




information should be primary




human impact, social impact on communities




library interface with community, retain human interface




competition to keep cost lower is good for everyone




be proactive




economic impact




quality as impacted by pricing and service




no censorship




timeliness




interaction in both university community and with outside community




library as a community leader, library as a valued institution




library as a "trophy", quality versus quantity




changing, redefining scholarship, not just publishing in journals




values change from past to future, thirty years ago and now




equity and free access, diversity, culture




enhancing information to make it available




no censorship, culture




cost effectiveness

3. Who will the NMSU Library serve in the future? What product/services will the library provide? How will the library provide them?

Who?


students, faculty, staff will be primary users




secondary users - New Mexico residents




the tertiary or third priority users will be everyone else, including other researchers, other libraries, remote users, government agencies or businesses




there will be overflow or fringe benefits from our services for primary users for these tertiary users




there will also be users from the region with a cross border focus




user characteristics may change




more returning students, more diversity, including cultural diversity, disabled students




another user characteristic will be the difference between "surfers" and those looking for a specific information




all users will demand timeliness




outreach target: people who have never come into the library before




increasing community demand, seniors, kids, and others who are not primary users

What?


a continuation of the traditional products and services




more document delivery, this is one of our most popular services




customized resources or guides, value added guides for library resources




more training services


information literacy classes, how to find and use information


is this the library's responsibility?




interactive tutorials




required orientation to use the library well (these classes or orientations may be required for students, faculty, and even administrators)




special programs, cultural, human interaction




more promotion and marketing




organizing materials in the library




organizing access to materials both inside and outside the library




links to remote information




scholarly information policy




privacy access issues




intellectual property issues




expert systems development




using artificial intelligence for access




more full-text online services




children's services

How?


facilities for online access




promotion, marketing, and outreach




diversity in programming




user friendly environments




fundraising through foundations, grants, selling things, friends groups




generate fees through copy card type services




have differential fees for different clientele for primary, secondary, or tertiary clientele




build relationships with other providers




cooperation




adaptive delivery systems




adjust resources within the organization based on demand for services




prioritize activities to provide new services




use both humans and machines to facilitate training

4. Where are we now versus the future? (This group answered this question using the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats format.)

Strengths


exploit technologically rich environment




strong personnel, skills, and dedication




increasing financial support




facilities, centrality to the university




our poor collection - we look for alternatives, lower upkeep




multicultural, multilingual environment




geographical location shows great growth potential




some willingness within the organization to embrace chaos




tolerance and rapid improvement




support for higher education in New Mexico

Weaknesses


poor perception of the library on campus




lack of public relations in marketing




limitations on good services due to cost and time factors such as the limitations on the Pegasus service




the collection is not fully online




lack of fully integrated systems




research expectations versus the library resource capability




never enough copy machines




lack of outcomes assessment




limited cooperation between or among other information agencies on campus

Opportunities


become the university leader in information resources




use the World Wide Web to share resources




impose standards on web based data, organize it this refers to technical standards that are held as a high value in the library




preservation




take advantage of lower cost of technology




use technology to change the values of scholarly communication this refers to opportunities for more electronic publishing by faculty




distance learning, distributed learning, new ways to distribute services




fundraising




fee based services for users outside the university community

Threats


eroding support




declining enrollment




an identity problem, the mythical virtual library




censorship, regulation, and copyright issues




trying to provide too much for too many with too little commercial competition




private university competition using our resources for free




complacency




power outages




parking

5. What are the avenues to reach our mission; how do we get there? What should be our goals?

revise mission, publicize it




sell products and services PR campaign




integrate databases, reduce labor




more infrastructure




more collaboration on campus, off campus




creative licensing negotiations




more funding initiatives




develop road map and timelines




reallocate resources




follow through, monitor and measure progress




cross training




market analysis




develop adequate outcome measurements




develop training programs




develop access points outside library




build on strengths in collection




reallocate resources to meet the changing programs




develop initiatives for changing scholarship definition, rewards in academe




developing new forums for scholarship at a reasonable cost

Orange Group
Facilitators: Karen George and Donnie Curtis

Group Members:
Angela Mora, Director of Admissions; Dale Harrell, Graduate Student in Electrical Engineering; Chuck Miles, President of Dona Ana Historical Society; Nancy Turner, Thomas Branigan Memorial Library; Evelyn Kelley, VTLS (vendor); Tim Pettibone, Dean of the Graduate School; Austin Hoover, Library Archives; Laura Chen, Library, General Cataloging; Karen Stabler, Library, Head of Information Services; Vita Montano, Library, Interlibrary Loan; Sherry Ward, Library, Post Cataloging

1. What will our information needs be in the future?

quick




cheap




good




multiple formats




easy access




how to access




access to a whole range - professional, personal




alternative sources




access everyone




how to evaluate




human interface

2. What values do vendors, users, library employees, and university administration hold that will impact the ability to deliver or meet information needs in the future?

users value access




physical values include parking




interfaces




user friendly/graphical interfaces




user focus actual and potential




balance of users needs




increase of resources in sync with university mission




aggressive public service with outreach




a basic level of free access




free for everyone specialized information for a fee




cooperation with other institutions to meet the community's needs

3. Who will the NMSU Library serve in the future? What product/services will the library provide? How will the library provide them?

Who


everybody ... with an emphasis on NMSU mission of undergraduates, graduates, and faculty




minority students




remedial students




rural students




older students




out-of-state students




community students




distance education students




supporting research for faculty and professional staff at University




agricultural research; including extension service, agricultural research stations, and other research units




graduate research students>

parttime graduate students




walk-in local users




citizens of New Mexico (as part of the NMSU mission statement)




out-of-state visitors




nonlocal phone calls and email requests




interlibrary loan requests




border area users (Mexico)




satellite colleges




local libraries




public schools

What


everything, with restrictions




library materials in different formats to support educational curriculum




training, teaching and bibliographic instruction




provide information




provide expertise




core collection




unpublished special materials (with restrictions)

How


adequate funding




resource sharing




regionalize reference tools




analysis of cost effectiveness




statewide systems




standards, Z39.50 and library standards in general




electronic information consortiums




research on library use and user success




staff training

4. Where are we now versus the future?

Services the library currently is offering


circulation




stacks




reserves




pegasus




interlibrary loan




email




connections




reference services




walk-in telephone




e-mail answers




by appointment




the building is open 99 hours per week




photocopy services




library supplies




bibliographic instruction




internet training




mediated current awareness




online catalog




library network




these are available remotely




rush handling of books




processing theses and dissertations




bibliographic

instruction in Spanish




services for the disabled




study places




exhibits




outreach programs




unduplicated New Mexico border region materials

Some of the products the library is offering


unpublished materials




government documents




special collections




preservation




electronic databases




books, journal articles




AV materials




multimedia materials




NMSU library homepage




pathfinders and finding aides




bibliographies




Sun News Index




Aggie database




newspapers




Durango project




web based specialized sources (i.e. the border/Latin American homepage)




New Mexico state documents

The current values operating in the library


university community first




more services for faculty than students




more services for graduate students than undergraduates




important to maintain subscriptions regardless of cost




people who come into the library




emphasis on local materials




retention of all materials




bibliographic instruction




special materials have limited access




reference service not available all hours the library is open




quality online catalog




participation in national activities




staff access to training is limited




resistance to change in many areas




community is welcome




automation and technology

5. What are the avenues to reach our mission; how do we get there? What should be our goals?

clarification and communication of the university's mission




gather user needs information through focus groups, surveys, advisory committees, suggestion box, studies




user training/building userfriendly systems




identify core collections




cancel expensive non-core journals




data on use and cost effectiveness




provide technical support for university based scholarly publications




regionalized resource and automation sharing




outsource appropriate technical tasks




ongoing and continuous planning and evaluation of library programs, services, and resources; utilization of resources and personnel (involve staff at all levels)




avoidance of duplication

Blue Group
Facilitators: Myra Brown and Don Barclay

Group Members:
George Barton, Director of Placement & Career Services; John Knapp, Vendor, Academic Book Center; Bill Eamon, Faculty, Honors Program; Judy Bosland, Staff, Institutional Research, Planning & Outcomes Assessment. Barbara Siegel, Faculty, Health Sciences; Jim Reilly, Faculty, Surveying; Deanna Valdez, Library, Interlibrary Loan; Irene Shown, Library, Government Documents; John Freyermuth, Library, Collection Management; Barbara Peale, Library, Collection Management; Cynthia Leon Coriell, Student, LSC311 Class; Bruce Porter, White Sands Missile Range; Bob Ortiz, Faculty, Counseling & Educational Psychology

1. What will our information needs be in the future?

Easier to both access and synthesize information




Reduce duplication and share information




Various media: books, audio/visual/electronic, etc.




Authenticating the reliability of information, particularly WWW/Internet




More education about information ... all information is important




Preserving past information




Accessibility




Not have/have nots (cost issues)




Make equipment available to all




Make information global - reduce language barriers




Make information browseable




Explore new formats make computer screens cuddly so people can cuddle up with the computer like they cuddle up with a book




Computers will be universal; access won't be a problem; users will prefer electronic access




Increase the speed of access




Use for both professional and personal purposes

2. What values do vendors, users, library employees, and university administration hold that will impact the ability to deliver or meet information needs in the future?

Mission of NMSU quality, low- cost education to NM residents




Collection and access in library should reflect the mission of NMSU




What does a vendor value in a library? innovative, collaborative, problemsolving, highly professional (and vice versa)




Library staff should be knowledgeable, competent, sufficiently current to disseminate information to library's patrons




Provide access to all yet protect intellectual property




Understand economic value of information




Support academic freedom concept, unencumbered by institution

3. Who will the NMSU Library serve in the future? What product/services will the library provide? How will the library provide them?

Who (prioritized list of who the library should serve in this order)


academic, community




local population




state




nation




world (unique information)

What


traditional holdings (ie books, manuscripts, audio visual materials, slides, etc.)




access reference, both reference librarians and tools, better search engines, links to other libraries




teaching




preservation and restoration




document delivery




outreach to schools




unique collections




minimum core holdings

How


differing levels of service




charge for certain services nothing free beyond basic services




outreach to schools




marketing services for fee services




personal interface with personnel

4. Where are we now versus the future?

the state should relax constraints on how the library can spend its dollars




heavy building use with low circulation why is the circulation inconsistent with peer group. In addition to actual circulation, how much is being reshelved?




should the library become involved in cultural and gender issues as they relate to library usage, particularly by students?




money is not available for other programs because of soaring journal costs




cultural issues, shortage of bilingual/minority outreach programs, particularly at the elementary through high school level




no sense of organizational focus




new members into academic community, particularly students, are not equipped to use a modern technological academic library




the cost of journal/serials subscriptions is gobbling money, the faculty need to scrutinize and cooperate on the issue of journal subscriptions in the future




the library is on the brink of change




the library should both learn and teach new things




the library's patrons should cuddle up with technology as well as with books




the library should consider warehousing/storage of certain under-used holdings for future




the library should install a coffee bar like Barnes and Noble in the future

5. What are the avenues to reach our mission; how do we get there? What should be our goals?

take big steps versus little steps




be more flexible




more efficiency from library staff




zero based budgeting - start over and redesign




synthesizing through education, building education into the process of curriculum at the university




do not let this conference/retreat go to waste




more staff and more desk hours, particularly in areas such as interlibrary loan, government documents, technical services, etc.

Think of changing hours of staff to allow for flexible shifts to accommodate extended hours




marketing find private business owners to help support the library, soft money grants




grants to develop information products




more automation to replace paper




get rid of chores, change chores




customer comes first - more and better computers




access user needs




linkages and external relationships




change the rules of purchasing at the university




articulation at state or higher level




annex El Paso




better use of classified staff - give classified staff more responsibilities




teach faculty to become more accessible to students




change the library's hierarchy flatten the boundaries




change the organizational structure




charge fees for special services lobby to make money with users in mind, to protect people of the campus community




better communications between library and faculty




better physical organization of the two buildings




add value to information

Yellow Group
Facilitators: Cheryl Wilson and Marie Garcia

Group Members:
Rhonda Skaggs, Faculty, Ag. Economics & Ag. Business; Pat Hynes, Project Director, New Mexico Space Grant Consortium; Juan Carlos Wandemberg, Student, Agricultural Engineering; David Smith, Pysical Science Laboratory; Don Couchman, Alumnus, Community User; Melinda Dermody, Alamagordo Branch Library; Tim Blevins, Library Archives; Grace Gonzales Small, Library, Order/Receipts Unit; Jivonna Stewart, Interlibrary Loan; Valerie Horton, Library, Systems; Gwen Gregory, Library, Post Cataloging

1. What will our information needs be in the future?

a pro-active customized adaptive information search, retrieval and delivery system




universal access to global information




mechanism to digest large amounts of information qualitatively




knowledge to know how to get information & hardware and how to make it work

2. What values do vendors, users, library employees, and university administrators hold that will impact the ability to deliver or meet information needs in the future?

continue to provide quality service and assure the survival of the library through allocating and developing resources




values of library driven by historical mission of NMSU, not driven by current degrees offered




human & material resources should reflect current NMSU mission & curriculum




quality important to vendors, etc.




money important making or having to spend




service

3. Who will the NMSU Library serve in the future? What products/services will the library provide? How will the library provide them?

Serve in the future:


student/faculty continuum




industry & business




distance education




other libraries




citizens inside and outside New Mexico




cooperative partners

Wants products & services:


refereed journals




more social science & humanities journals




more hours opened & more hours in special services




more newspapers




more electronic access




better "copier quality" copiers & more of them




continue Pegasus & make available to students




provide articles both in paper & electronically




Social Science Citation Index




circulating collections of CD-ROM teaching tools




WWW multimedia stations

How


seek out alliances and mutually beneficial arrangements between library and users




take advantage of opportunities to create revenue and keep revenue including charging for some things




get a bigger share of overhead from external funding sources

4. Where are we now versus the future?

Now: short on resources, stuck with a shrinking budget, short on personnel

Future:


create a system to use volunteers




BI instruction




ILL window




process gifts




graphic design




closer ties with academic faculty & administrators




better communication between library staff & faculty & administrators




train faculty to train students to use library




resources will stay static at best; decreasing purchasing power for library resources




community fundraising; emphasis on building a foundation of big spenders & small givers




growing administrative support




partnering with administration




more proactive entrepreneurial focus & activities




market library resources & services




make attitudinal shift




better online catalog with easier user interface




more public service staff




more incurriculum library training for students




more flexibility in staffing all public services with all library staff




a general information desk




recognize diversity of student body needs

5. What are the avenue to reach our mission; how do we get there?

increase facultylibrary interaction (marketing)




explore opportunities for entrepreneurial activities and market ourselves & strengths




library stop undervaluing services




higher priority on teaching information literacy




focus on marketing and publicity




Round Up




WWW




e-mail




usenet




library newsletter

update image and meaning of library, e.g. Resource Research Center




develop a library foundation

Red Group
Facilitators: Laural Adams and Genevieve Cole

Group Members:
Cindy Watkins, Library, Circulation; Kathy Sowa, Library, Order/Receipts Unit; Tim McKimmie, Library, Reference; David Myers, Associate Dean of the Library; Sheldon Bartel, Student, College of Ag. & Home Ec.; Dave Rocks, Admin., CANTO; Chris Good, Community, City of Las Cruces, Information Office; Robert Watkins, Vendor, AMIGOS; Linda Riley, Faculty, Center for Business Research & Services; Sharon Mantey, Parent, Community; Laurie Porter, Library, Information Services; Mary Aragona, Library, Development Office

1. What will our information needs be in the future?

ease of access - televisions, telephones




mechanism providing machines for access to global information




growth away from human interface




changes made in what, how, who it is delivered to and is received by




scope of services is global




showing use - directing to areas of information




face to face for some and technological interface for others

2. What values do vendors, users, library employees, and university administration hold that will impact the ability to deliver or meet information needs in the future?

Vendors, Providers


profit




quality product to users - quality equals faster, cheaper, better




try to utilize economies of scale




short term focus




willingness to partner




ability to innovate




customer focus




ethics

Users - Students, Faculty, Community Members, etc.


accuracy




speed




quick access




difference between student/faculty needs




unbiased, all information available, comprehensive




nondiscriminatory services




discriminatory services cost not based on search but based on status




demand for services that are high quality information, value librarians




seamless access




dependable services

Library Employees - not driven by ideological biases


value their customers




customer focus




library should value their employees




ethics of public service




commitment to free flow of information




commitment to quality




commitment to content




commitment to best, most appropriate information




respect of and between employees




ability to make decisions on their own




listen to, willing to change, willing to take risk




high sense of ethics




free flow of information




unbiased




commitment to university mission




respect for copyright

Administration


cost of journals




number of employees




productivity




customer satisfaction




serving constituents - residents of the state of New Mexico, taxpayers




valuing employees




commitment to the university's own mission

3. Who will the NMSU Library serve in the future? What product/services will the library provide? How will the library provide them?

Who


first students, NMSU




community




State of New Mexico




life-long learners




distance education, more global




primacy of Las Cruces community over "global clients"




first faculty




customers will change, identity less obvious




both faculty and students are of same importance

What


constrained by higher/larger university/educational system




interaction with faculty so that information seeking is more meaningful




student development




specialization of resources so as to have a niche (e.g. agriculture and engineering) so we are competitive with unique resources




not duplicating collections but providing access to other specialized collections




educate users on services available and how to find information




physical location, facetoface, and access beyond "library building"




customer focus




"personal library" access to information services, etc. personalized (e.g. creating their own library of resources)




focus on what customer will use versus want recognition of costs




knowledge skills, life skills, awareness of resources, environment, change, values, ability to think critically

How


greater role in teaching, involving everyone, student employees, students, teachers




commitment to students regardless of "temporary membership"




see students as long-term customers: lifelong learners




leadership role of library in university community also partner/team role




dependable funding from state? rely on partnership




expert systems that embody knowledge of process/human experience




human backup systems




multiskilled "information specialist"




delivery mechanisms compatible with user's capacities, abilities, technologies used




proactively soliciting broadbased support from all its customers (community colleges, etc.)




involving all customers

4. Where are we now versus the future?

underfunded - look for sources of funding: private, corporations, etc.




not marketing services




weak outreach - prospective students community




what is our niche?




need relationships with companies, i.e. partnerships, more development throughout the library




expand development position - raising funds, making more contacts with outside sources




weak development department




not providing critical skills for advancement




not appealing to students at university




strong dean system roadblock, deans have too much power




too hierarchical for effective decision making




lack of risk taking - university-wide




limited hours of operation - no after hours access




limited effort put into digital format, unique materials




resistance to change in some areas, rapid change in others




identify current customers needs, wants, etc.




identify potential customers




decisions driven by faculty




strong staff - needs to be used to higher levels, depended on more




fullfill graduate needs adequately




good linkage with other countries




lack of understanding of university mission




technology has too many problems from remote access

5. What are the avenues to reach our mission; how do we get there? What should be our goals?

specificity - long-winded loses meaning




goals suggestions behind goals




provide service to everyone who asks




make every effort to reach students and assure they are aware of all information available to them




outreach




change priority of funding




reviewing current priorities - change to new directions




providing leadership to university administration to define basic education requirements




better educate university about information access general education course




guarantee library will remain




how to get students in for other than classwork




for students and faculty - not only for librarians




take library to people




what can our library do better - better than other libraries training, etc.?




organizing information strong support




marketing analysis




canvas community: are we for community? are we offering what is wanted?




keep doing things right - retain universal access




organization - more efficient flattened




multiskilled team model, quicker decisions, implementation




ultimate responsibility




risk taking - making better decisions




downsizing too many faculty to staff




send current employees for training to reorganize skills, make them able to fill skills that are lacking




continued training




stay ahead of users - be prepared




needs need to be identified




cross training - team efforts




partnering with stronger organization (i.e. phone companies)




marketing plan development department




tell people how great you are




tell what you can do for them




public relations




column in Las Cruces Bulletin




Sunday section Las Cruces Sun News




business section




look to other departments to see how they receive funds for promotion, advertising (e.g. art, music, museum)




let people know what you have




are we duplicating just to bring numbers up to par with other institutions




ongoing environmental planning




what happens if population continues to decline

Please address comments or questions about this document to Donnie Curtis, dcurtis@lib.nmsu.edu, Mission/Values Scan Committee

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